New MPs head ‘back to school’
There may not be a government but Parliament has begun welcoming 32 new MPs.
The new class of MPs – 17 for Labour, 12 for National, 2 for NZ First, and 1 for the Greens – began their induction into Parliament yesterday, although one or two might end up kicked out when special votes are counted on October 7.
There is a lot to do over the induction period: a pretend session of Parliament, introductions to select committees, and the setup of offices.
Each of the MPs also has to learn their way around the enormous 45,000 square-metre parliamentary complex, which includes a gym, a restaurant, a bar, priceless works of art, and a tunnel under Bowen St.
Some of them, like victorious former head of Local Government New Zealand and Hastings mayor Lawrence Yule, have plenty of experience in Parliament. Others admitted it was their first or second visit to the building.
There is a lot to learn but also plenty to like: each MP gets some staff, a $16,000 travel allowance, and a $160,000 salary.
Wellington put on a proper spring day to welcome them, with a gusty northerly driving horizontal rain across Parliament’s forecourt.
‘‘I feel like I’m going back to school,’’ said the Green Party’s Chloe Swarbrick as she got out of a cab – the first of many to compare it to the first day of school.
Swarbrick, 23, is the youngest MP in over 40 years, something which the Greens see as an asset.
‘‘I’m from a generation that’s grown up seeing the wheels fall off of this economic system, get locked out of the housing market, taking on masses of student debt, and seeing job opportunity diminish with this transition to the gig economy.
‘‘The other thing I’d like to do is break down and demystify Parliament and make it more accessible for people.’’
She is the only new Green Party MP at this stage, but many expect them to gain another MP from the special vote, as they did in 2014.
Swarbrick said she was looking forward to working with East Coast Labour candidate Kiri Allan, who is coming into Parliament on the list.
‘‘It’s an exciting time, but also a time for reflection, just coming off the campaign trail – still have those stories that we’ve been given by thousands of people on the trail who have been struggling,’’ Allan said.
‘‘I’m a third former on my first day of school.’’
On the other end of the scale is Labour ‘s victorious ha¯riu candidate Greg O’Connor, who is in his late 50s.
‘‘I’m probably quite privileged to be at this stage of life feeling this excited about starting a new job,’’ O’Connor said.
Unsuccessful National candidate for Wellington Central Nicola Willis was coming to induction but wasn’t getting her hopes up – on the provisional results she enters Parliament on the list but if National lose any seats when the special votes come in, she will be out.
‘‘Personally I’m feeling quite emotional, because this is my dream, being able to come here as a member of Parliament, and I’m really conscious that it might be taken away in a couple of weeks,’’ Willis said.
While they were all new faces, some had serious electoral achievements under their belt, like Labour’s Duncan Webb, who beat sitting National MP and Christchurch regeneration minister Nicky Wagner in Christchurch Central.
‘‘Christchurch is ready for a change and I am too,’’ Webb said on his way in.
Labour’s successful Waiariki candidate Tamati Coffey, whose win booted the Ma¯ori Party from Parliament, said he had a strong mandate to be walking in with.
‘‘We’ve put a whole lot of promises out there and it’s time to deliver,’’ Coffey said.
‘‘My heart goes out to [the Ma¯ori Party] but that’s up to the voters.’’
National’s victorious Northland candidate Matt King – who beat possible coalition partner Winston Peters – was the only new entrant who wasn’t keen to talk to media for long on his way in.
‘‘I just worked really hard and I’m really happy to have done it,’’ King said.